Now that 2015-16 is underway, several district educators are practicing newfound skills and activities in their classrooms, thanks to a technology-fueled summer conference. More than 200 educators attended Garland ISD’s iCon earlier this month, receiving cutting-edge iPad training designed by teachers, for teachers.
“This is really our way to encourage teachers and get them into new tools, practices and 21st-century learning,” said Technology Training Coordinator Angie Cheatham. “They learned tips, tricks, lesson ideas and new projects they can do with their students all using the iPad.”
Kansas-based Technology Integration Specialist Kevin Honeycutt kicked off the conference with an eye-opening, energetic keynote address. Teachers then dashed off to interactive training sessions, which covered everything from flipped classrooms to bilingual iPad lessons to Google forms.
“I have been using technology in my classroom for a while, and I enjoy getting other people on board with doing that,” said Bullock Elementary School teacher and iCon session host Stacy McGough. “I think it is what our kids need.”
iCon’s sole purpose is to arm all teachers with digital skills needed to engage the future generation.
“We have great things happening in our classrooms. Our teachers are leaders out there and are running with digital learning, but we need a way to showcase that,” Cheatham explained. “We wanted to bring them together to build that learning community among each other, from campus to campus, to capitalize on using the iPad as a tool towards further learning.”
After a jam-packed day of wired inspiration, iCon participants ended the event with closing keynote, Hall Davidson, who provided insight to the rewards of a digital classroom—something Cheatham hopes to see across GISD one day.
“Last year, we started with about 125 teachers. Our goal was to double it, and we did that this year,” she revealed. “We are going to continue with that plan—go even larger next year to reach more teachers and really get the impact to the classroom with digital learning.”
Information provided by Garland ISD.